Former MGWR/CIE Mullingar-Athlone rail line greenway

[Noel]

Cycled a stretch of this greenway today. I travelled regularly on this line as a youngster when the Galway trains used to depart from Westland Row and Amiens street before the Mullingar-Athlone line was closed to passenger traffic. They are currently working on the section through the centre of Athlone including a controversial new decdicated cycle bridge over the river shannon, that looks a bit of an architectural carbuncle as well as butchering the popular Athlone UDC marina on the River Shannon.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Noel

[jhb171achill]

Good to see the track still there........ it was, of course, double track until (I think) 1928.

I was over it myself many a time. 

[Noel]

9 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Good to see the track still there........ it was, of course, double track until (I think) 1928.

I was over it myself many a time. 

Don't think that track will ever see wheels run on it again, the sleepers are rotten and track pins in poor shape, no sleeper shoes. Pity it isn't weed sprayed (from the asphalt lane) so the track remains visible to walkers and cyclists. The track is barely visible due to over growth for most of the stitch. Had we more time we could have cycled out to moate.

[skinner75]

I thought the new stretch from the White Gates down to the hospital was opened yesterday, so I cycled down to the hospital to check out the new stretch. No barriers, so on I went. Turned the corner, and found an ESB van and crew on the path. Passing them, one said that I must be the first on it. Strange I thought, but carried on. Fences blocking access to the trail at the side of Dunne's, but I carried on. Got to the White Gates, only to find barriers across the way! I turned back, and when I got back to the hospital, the ESB crew were gone, and there was a plastic barrier blocking the exit. I moved it so I could get the bike through, then moved it back. So, turns out I was the first cyclist on that stretch after all!!

Here are a few shots I took - looks like it'll be a good spot for photos

 

Few more pics

[skinner75]

The car park of Dunnes Stores in Montree is just to the right of the underpass in the pic above, so handy parking when getting pics. 

The pics of the track curving towards the White Bridge were taken from the top of the ramp, about 100ft from the underpass, so not much of a walk from the car park